SPIEGEL ONLINE, 09/24/2010-----------------------------------------------------------------Central Africa's Only Orchestra: Playing Beethoven in Kinshasa-----------------------------------------------------------------

In the Congolese capital Kinshasa, just surviving is hard enough. Butone group of people spends hours traveling across town to sit in asweltering compound and practice Handel. They are members of theOrchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste, Central Africa's only symphonyorchestra.

OF SPECIAL interest to readers of this column, Kinshasa Symphony is a stand-out title among the 29 remarkable documentaries that wifi be up for viewingwith a host of cuttingedge feature films and shorts at the 31st Durban International Film Festival, to be held between July22 and August 1. >>>

AFRIKA FIIM FESTIVATLANG LEVE DE CONGOLESE FILM?

While our American orchestras continue their shell-shocked muddle through the Great Recession, with morale crashing alongside their pay, it might be heartening to recall why anyone would want one of those gigs in the first place.

An ode to joyThe enduring power of classical music

For me, the strongest impression at the Berlin Film Festival was KINSHASA SYMPHONY, no doubt about it. I left the cinema groggy with emotion and joy and wandered alone through the city streets...Download PDF (10 KB)